UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

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Beth
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UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by Beth »

Hi all,

As I'm sure you've now noticed, we've spent some time upgrading the forum software as well as giving it a cosmetic overhaul.

With any maintenance always comes the chance of error, so if anything appears out of place or isn't working correctly, please let us know. One notable point is that the likes system is currently disabled due to the extension being outdated for the latest forum software version.

We hope you enjoy the new-look forum and we thank you for your patience while the work was carried out. If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to post.

Thanks,
Beth & The Armchair Solder
For any general site or moderation queries, please feel free to PM me.
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SKB
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by SKB »

WTF?

With respect, I hate this new look, I truly despise and reject it.

The page area, for me, is now much narrower with less room for detailed photographs, which for a forum that encourages photographs of equipment, personnel and locations, is a retrograde step and is also awful for people with poorer and limited eyesight.

The main title page is now not as clear or as distinct in showing which topics have new comments in them. In the topic threads, there is now a hugely distracting and oversized left-side members panel which takes up far too much space. Very few members of this forum have even bothered to upload an avatar picture to be displayed there, so it means there's just a big white pointless empty gap to the left-side now, eating into the narrower page size.

You've had board style alternatives since the UKDF first started in April 2015, with "Elegance" starting as the first, which remained as my favourite and only UKDF board style choice for the last six years. Please restore "Elegance" and the other previous board styles as alternative choices to this awful new one you've imposed on us all without alternatives, as soon as possible.

:thumbdown:

R686
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by R686 »

SKB wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 02:20 WTF?

With respect, I hate this new look, I truly despise and reject it.

The page area, for me, is now much narrower with less room for detailed photographs, which for a forum that encourages photographs of equipment, personnel and locations, is a retrograde step and is also awful for people with poorer and limited eyesight.

The main title page is now not as clear or as distinct in showing which topics have new comments in them. In the topic threads, there is now a hugely distracting and oversized left-side members panel which takes up far too much space. Very few members of this forum have even bothered to upload an avatar picture to be displayed there, so it means there's just a big white pointless empty gap to the left-side now, eating into the narrower page size.

You've had board style alternatives since the UKDF first started in April 2015, with "Elegance" starting as the first, which remained as my favourite and only UKDF board style choice for the last six years. Please restore "Elegance" and the other previous board styles as alternative choices to this awful new one you've imposed on us all, without alternatives, as soon as possible.

:thumbdown:
Are you for real?


Beth take no notice you are doing a top notch job, I like it

bobp
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by bobp »

like the look so far

downsizer
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by downsizer »

SKB wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 02:20 WTF?

With respect, I hate this new look, I truly despise and reject it.

The page area, for me, is now much narrower with less room for detailed photographs, which for a forum that encourages photographs of equipment, personnel and locations, is a retrograde step and is also awful for people with poorer and limited eyesight.

The main title page is now not as clear or as distinct in showing which topics have new comments in them. In the topic threads, there is now a hugely distracting and oversized left-side members panel which takes up far too much space. Very few members of this forum have even bothered to upload an avatar picture to be displayed there, so it means there's just a big white pointless empty gap to the left-side now, eating into the narrower page size.

You've had board style alternatives since the UKDF first started in April 2015, with "Elegance" starting as the first, which remained as my favourite and only UKDF board style choice for the last six years. Please restore "Elegance" and the other previous board styles as alternative choices to this awful new one you've imposed on us all, without alternatives, as soon as possible.

:thumbdown:
This is the best post ever!

I love the look simply cus this chud hates it! :clap:

downsizer
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by downsizer »

In all seriousness, it looks pretty much the same to me. Good job.

Chuds who don't like it are free to go start their own sites.

SW1
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by SW1 »

Looks gd, appreciate the efforts going into it

R686
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by R686 »

downsizer wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 07:30 In all seriousness, it looks pretty much the same to me. Good job.

Chuds who don't like it are free to go start their own sites.


LOL

I had to look up what a CHUD was !!!!

topman
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by topman »

Looks fine, although the top bar with, your posts/new posts/unread posts etc is a bit squashed up.

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Beth
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by Beth »

SKB wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 02:20 WTF?

With respect, I hate this new look, I truly despise and reject it.

The page area, for me, is now much narrower with less room for detailed photographs, which for a forum that encourages photographs of equipment, personnel and locations, is a retrograde step and is also awful for people with poorer and limited eyesight.

The main title page is now not as clear or as distinct in showing which topics have new comments in them. In the topic threads, there is now a hugely distracting and oversized left-side members panel which takes up far too much space. Very few members of this forum have even bothered to upload an avatar picture to be displayed there, so it means there's just a big white pointless empty gap to the left-side now, eating into the narrower page size.

You've had board style alternatives since the UKDF first started in April 2015, with "Elegance" starting as the first, which remained as my favourite and only UKDF board style choice for the last six years. Please restore "Elegance" and the other previous board styles as alternative choices to this awful new one you've imposed on us all, without alternatives, as soon as possible.

:thumbdown:
Thank you for your opinion. Layout-wise, the theme hasn’t changed aside from the navigation bar and is the same width as the old we_universal (as we edited the same header and based things off those dimensions). We will look at reinstalling Elegance for you. The reason the old themes had to be deleted was that some weren’t compatible with the new update and realistically the forum software was outdated by a good few years and to prevent having further issues, an update had to be carried out.

——

Thank you to everyone else for your support and feedback so far. The issue regarding the navigation bar being squashed up has been noted and we will look into it.
For any general site or moderation queries, please feel free to PM me.
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bobp
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by bobp »

Have we lost the LIKE facility.

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Beth
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by Beth »

bobp wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 12:43 Have we lost the LIKE facility.
It’s temporary, the old plug in wasn’t compatible with the most updated forum software.
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bobp
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by bobp »

Beth wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 12:46
bobp wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 12:43 Have we lost the LIKE facility.
It’s temporary, the old plug in wasn’t compatible with the most updated forum software.
Ok thankyou for your prompt reply.

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Beth
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by Beth »

SKB wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 02:20 WTF?

With respect, I hate this new look, I truly despise and reject it.

The page area, for me, is now much narrower with less room for detailed photographs, which for a forum that encourages photographs of equipment, personnel and locations, is a retrograde step and is also awful for people with poorer and limited eyesight.

The main title page is now not as clear or as distinct in showing which topics have new comments in them. In the topic threads, there is now a hugely distracting and oversized left-side members panel which takes up far too much space. Very few members of this forum have even bothered to upload an avatar picture to be displayed there, so it means there's just a big white pointless empty gap to the left-side now, eating into the narrower page size.

You've had board style alternatives since the UKDF first started in April 2015, with "Elegance" starting as the first, which remained as my favourite and only UKDF board style choice for the last six years. Please restore "Elegance" and the other previous board styles as alternative choices to this awful new one you've imposed on us all, without alternatives, as soon as possible.

:thumbdown:
Elegance is back.
For any general site or moderation queries, please feel free to PM me.
Help keep UK Defence Forum online

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SKB
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by SKB »

Beth wrote:Elegance is back.
Good. Thankyou. Much better.
:thumbup:

Poiuytrewq
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by Poiuytrewq »

Still can’t attach pictures?

TheLoneRanger
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by TheLoneRanger »

Thanks for the update - the site feels a bit quicker - must be the optimisations in the new software(or have you also rehosted the site onto new hardware ??).

Thankfully it is not that different from before - I DO NOT want this upgrade to go the same way that the upgrade went for the Airforces Monthly forum which killed that forum stone cold dead as no one liked the new "better, focus led, UI layout design." and everyone left on mass ( not sure where everyone else turned up - but i found my way here - lol !! )

I am a Airforces Monthly refugee when i came here ( lol !!! ) and I would hate to be forced to leave again - thankfully upgrade has been well done.

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The Armchair Soldier
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by The Armchair Soldier »

Poiuytrewq wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 18:55 Still can’t attach pictures?
I'll look into it, sorry for the inconvenience.

Edit: I've increased the quota. It should work now. :)

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Beth
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by Beth »

TheLoneRanger wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 19:17 Thanks for the update - the site feels a bit quicker - must be the optimisations in the new software(or have you also rehosted the site onto new hardware ??).

Thankfully it is not that different from before - I DO NOT want this upgrade to go the same way that the upgrade went for the Airforces Monthly forum which killed that forum stone cold dead as no one liked the new "better, focus led, UI layout design." and everyone left on mass ( not sure where everyone else turned up - but i found my way here - lol !! )

I am a Airforces Monthly refugee when i came here ( lol !!! ) and I would hate to be forced to leave again - thankfully upgrade has been well done.
We did switch hosts recently so glad the site seems quicker!

Absolutely no intention of changing anything too extreme, we just wanted to make things tie together a bit better and do the necessary upgrade - glad you like it :)
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Poiuytrewq
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by Poiuytrewq »

The Armchair Soldier wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 20:15
Poiuytrewq wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 18:55 Still can’t attach pictures?
It should work now. :)
Excellent. Thank you.

R686
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by R686 »

Hi Beth

The only thing I would like to see better if it can be done is that on another forum I vist if you tape on a thread it will automatically take you to the first unread post in that thread after your last visit

Not sure if you can do it here but I find it a blessing not having to scroll to the last post that you read

Cheers

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Beth
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by Beth »

:) R686 wrote: 19 Nov 2021, 22:21 Hi Beth

The only thing I would like to see better if it can be done is that on another forum I vist if you tape on a thread it will automatically take you to the first unread post in that thread after your last visit

Not sure if you can do it here but I find it a blessing not having to scroll to the last post that you read

Cheers
We’ll look into it for you :)
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SKB
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by SKB »

R686 wrote: Not sure if you can do it here but I find it a blessing not having to scroll to the last post that you read
Cheers
Beth wrote:We’ll look into it for you :)

That can already be done (in both UKDF and Elegance board styles) by clicking the "Last Post" button.
UKDF Last Post Button.png
See that tiny little arrow in the tiny little box to the right of Timmymagic's name? That's the "Last Post" button of each thread. Clicking it takes you straight to the most recent post without having to scroll down.
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R686
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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by R686 »

SKB wrote: 20 Nov 2021, 03:02
R686 wrote: Not sure if you can do it here but I find it a blessing not having to scroll to the last post that you read
Cheers
Beth wrote:We’ll look into it for you :)

That can already be done (in both UKDF and Elegance board styles) by clicking the "Last Post" button.

Image

See that tiny little arrow in the tiny little box to the right of Timmymagic's name? That's the "Last Post" button of each thread. Clicking it takes you straight to the most recent post without having to scroll down.
Hello SKB

Yes was aware of that function which takes you to the last post of that thread. I guess you miss read what I meant that if you hit the topic header of whatever thread it would take you to the last post that you read, it could be a few pages before the last post within that thread depending the last time you where there

But also not sure if it’s because I’m at work and doing via mobile phone it appears that function is not available either to go to the last post as before

I’ll check tonight when I get home to see if it’s the same on PC

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Re: UKDF Forum Update 18/11/21

Post by Caribbean »

I hadn't noticed that feature, so thanks for that!

I tend to use the "Unread Posts" button, then select from the listed topics, which takes me to the last post that I read in that topic, which I think is what you are trying to achieve (apologies if not).
The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
Winston Churchill

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